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This Better Kid Care site from Penn State Extension offers research-based online training modules on a range of topics relevant to working with school-age children such as positive youth development and guidance, career preparation for youth, financial planning, and cultural competency and responsiveness. The modules include a combination of slides, video clips, research summaries, practical tips, and worksheets. Most are geared to practitioners. The trainings are free; a professional development certification of completion is $5-10. Some modules are available in Spanish.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Reauthorization of 2016 includes requirements for health and safety training. This resource from Better Kid Care at Penn State Extension provides information on health and safety professional training for Out-of-School Time (OST) providers, as required by states. Topics covered are: (1) safe spaces, (2) transportation safety, (3) handling and storage of hazardous materials, (4) emergency preparedness, (5) prevention and control of infectious disease, (6) food and allergic reactions and how to respond, (7) administration of medication, (8) shaken baby syndrome/abusive head trauma, and (9) safe sleep and SUIDS prevention. The course is 6 hours long and is free; $15 if you need a professional development certification of completion. This resource is available in Spanish.
On September 21, 2023, the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment hosted the webinar, “Back to School—and Afterschool—Refresh: Updated Resources for System- and Program-Level Staff” to re-introduce the NCASE Resource Library, along with NCASE developed and recently updated toolkits. Resources highlighted in the webinar included:
NCASE Resource Library
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/ncase-resource-library
School-Age Consumer Education Toolkit
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/ncase-resource-library/school-age-consumer-education-toolkit
OST Professional Development System Building Toolkit
OST Emergency Preparedness Recovery and Response Toolkit
This issue brief uses data from 2020 National Survey of Children's Health(NSCH) to describe the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in children ages birth to 17. This is important information as children with a higher number of ACEs are at higher risk for negative outcomes for mental health, health, and financial well-being. The brief includes charts of the number of ACEs children have by state, by race and ethnicity, and by health outcomes. This resource supports resiliency.
These briefs summarize research on changes in licensing requirements and policies in every state for child care centers, family child care homes, and group child care homes. They compare 2020 data to that of 2017. Topics covered include staff and provider qualifications and training requirements, child-staff ratios and group sizes, requirements for the care of children, and health and safety requirements for child care facilities. They also include requirements for training licensing staff.
This 2021 study provides updates from a 2018 clearinghouse of data on supports for early childhood program leaders in state-by-state profiles. The most relevant for school-age is data on administrator qualifications in child care licensing standards and in QRIS, as well as which states have administrator credentials. It offers a national overview, data on states, and policy recommendations.
This series of reports by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics provides a compilation of national data on 41 key indicators for children ages 0-17. The statistics include measures on issues such as food insecurity, summer enrichment, housing instability, mental health and substance abuse, and child and adolescent mortality. The 2022 version highlights selected special feature indicators related to COVID-19 to address the impact of the pandemic on child and family well-being.
The White House held a conference in September 2022 to develop a goal to end hunger in America and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030 to reduce diet-related diseases. This report is a playbook to meet this strategy and to reduce food insecurity from 10% to less than 1% of households. Strategies include improving food access and affordability, integrating nutrition and health, increasing access to healthy food choices; improving physical activity, and enhancing nutrition and food security research. This resource supports equity.
On September 14, 2022, the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment hosted the “Addressing School-Age Needs in Licensing Regulations” webinar to introduce a new NCASE resource, hear state examples, share strategies and discuss promising practices related to licensing for school-age childcare programs.
On August 11, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control updated the COVID-19 guidance for schools and early care and education programs. There are changes on cohorts, quarantines, test to stay, and how to respond to outbreaks. This resource supports the COVID-19 response.